Data shows Medical Marijuana may Decrease Crime

August 26, 2009 – There’s a lot of concern from citizens far removed from the medical marijuana movement regarding crime associated with new changes in the law. After over 70 years of misinformation and propaganda it’s no wonder confusion is so rampant.

With the exception of a few dispensaries being robbed, there have been no noticeable increases in crime near dispensaries. The simple fact that dispensaries have existed for such a short period in history also makes it very difficult to associate any increase in crime with dispensaries. Additionally, sources like CNN have released stories this year about the possibility of an increase in crime in large cities being associated with the economy.

The theory that dispensaries cause crime leaves to question all the areas in the country with an increase in crime, but without any medical marijuana dispensaries. Unless a dispensary is directly involved in some sort of criminal activity it is impossible to say if crime increased in any area solely due to the dispensary.

Let’s take the FBI’s Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report. According to the data, the western area of the United States saw the greatest decrease in murders, and came in second to the mid-west in greatest decrease in violent crimes, aggravated assaults, and larceny.

Given the fact that the majority of the western states (CA, OR, WA, MT, NV, NM, and CO) in the country have legalized medical marijuana, it seems if legalizing medical marijuana causes crime there would be an increase in these crimes, not a decrease. More importantly, this area shouldn’t be the part of the country with the greatest decline if medical marijuana causes crime.

Since California has had legalized medical marijuana the longest, the data for this state was run through the Angela Macdonald number cruncher. Here are the shifts in some of the larger cities in California from 2007 to 2008:

With the exception of the occasional dispensary robbery, there is no evidence to show an increase in crime with direct connection to medical marijuana dispensaries. Even with these robberies in mind, it stands to question why any place is robbed.

After analyzing the numbers, it seems strange that anyone would try to say medical marijuana causes any crime. If anything, the data shows quite the opposite. Logic determines that when a crime is no longer a crime there will be less criminals.

What does it say when the primary reason produced by most of the counties, cities, and towns to support banning dispensaries is completely unfounded? What will the next excuse be?